Succulents–the gorgeous water-retaining plants native to arid climates–are taking weddings by storm. From the Northeast or Southwest, these little gems are showing up in bouquets, boutonnieres, and table centerpieces alike. And since they come in so many varieties, you don’t have to choose just one!

Whether your wedding is classic, contemporary or non-traditional, H.Bloom can help make the day memorable with our abundant offering of custom bridal bouquets, like our favorites above. DIY brides, be sure to check out Hannah’s bridal bouquet tutorial video, made especially for our friends at Borrowed & Bleu.

As we enter into springtime, it’s time to set aside the hot toddies, mulled cider and hearty red wines of winter and slip into something a little more seasonal. Bursts of elderflower blossoms, juniper berries, and crisp cucumber topped with a little club soda combine into the perfect effervescent refreshment–and just in time for the first outdoor soirées.

Recipe:
In a highball glass, mix 2 parts gin with 1 part elderflower liqueur. Top off with club soda to taste, stir and garnish with a thinly sliced cucumber.

Why it Works:
(1) Gin: if you’ve ever seen the blue berries of the juniper bush then you’ve seen the source of gin’s delicious, herbal flavor. Additionally, top shelf gins are infused with rose petals and cucumber essence for a bouquet not unlike a greenhouse. (2) Elderflower liqueur: the process may be proprietary, but to quote one distiller, “the result, after painstaking refinements to every subtlety of the recipe, is a clean floral nose with hints of pear, peach and grapefruit zest.” (3) Cucumber: our choice garnish enhances the taste of the gin and adds a garden crunch. (4) Soda water: this bubbly boisson helps to blend the concoction’s flavors, lighten its alcoholic bite, and add some extra fizz to the mix.

So mix up a batch, gather some friends, and toast the freshness of the season.

Initially launched out of a buttery yellow truck in 2008, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream offered the gourmand stroller a very welcome alternative to Mister Softee. Founded by Ben Van Leeuwen, Laura O’Neill, and Pete Van Leeuwen, the artisanal scoop shop continues to provide the most delicious confections possible. Their secret? Using simple, fresh ingredients sourced locally to create a custard base for their ice creams. Starting with milk, egg yolks and cane sugar, Van Leeuwen adds an organic burst of flavor using anything from hand-picked pistachios to seasonally sun-ripened strawberries to early harvested candied ginger. The result is an array of flavors including some best-in-class classics (a more satisfying vanilla is not to be found) and some more inventive but no less scrumptious options, such as earl grey tea and currants and cream.

Now operating three trucks across New York and three warm and welcoming cafes in Brooklyn and Manhattan, Van Leeuwen outfits offer a daily variety of tantalizing baked goods made by their very own in-house pastry chef to enjoy with there expertly brewed Intellegentsia coffees and drinks. (The truck on 22nd St. and 6th Ave. happens to be a favorite coffee break spot for H.Bloom’s NYC office!)

Lauren Abend is a girl on the rise. In addition to owning a stunning apartment overlooking the East River in Williamsburg, she’s also one half of the duo behind Mega Mega Projects– a new PR company and showroom making a splash in the world of New York fashion. Focused on emerging luxury brands, she and business partner Meghan Folsom boast an impressive client roster including indie darlings Mociun, William Okpo, and Erin Considine, to name a few. We recently caught up with Abend to learn more about the place she calls home.

H.BLOOM: How long have you been living in your apartment?

LAUREN ABEND: My one year anniversary is coming up at the end of April!

What is your favorite aspect of the space?

Hard to pick one thing….It might be obvious but I do love my view. All the closet space I have is crazy for a New York apartment. I also love that I’ve made it my own despite the fact that it was pretty cookie cutter/clinical when I moved in.

Your furniture is incredible. Can you tell us a little more about it?

Actually, a lot of the furniture is from my grandparents–my mom’s parents had a ton of random, cool stuff in their basement that I ransacked one Thanksgiving. My other grandparents collect rugs from all over the world and loan them out to family…The two chairs are [also] from them. I refinished the wood myself but haven’t gotten around to making new cushions. I’ll admit I have grown attached to the faded mustard green vinyl.

I inherited the mahogany table [not pictured] from a great grand aunt who lived to be 105! It’s from the early 1900s and is the most amazing apartment table I’ve ever seen–it goes from seating 2 to 10. I love it.

The sofa is from ABC Carpet; it folds down to become almost a queen sized bed. My brothers and visiting friends are very happy with my investment.

How would you describe your decorating style?

I would describe my decorating style as “eclectic minimalism.” I just made that up, do you like it? I like a range of styles and my apartment reflects that, but I try and keep it from being cluttered and definitely wouldn’t want to have it be described as “shabby” anything. I think it’s very personal, and, for better or worse, it reflects the annoying perfectionist in me–I will hold off on buying something that I need until I find exactly what I am looking for.